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Today, President Trump released his first proposed budget to Congress. Below is a statement from Kara Cook-Schultz, Toxics Director of U.S. PIRG, on the President’s budget proposal.

“President Trump’s budget is dangerous. It fails to protect our health or the health of our families. This budget chokes off half of the funding for the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, which makes sure that deadly chemicals stay off the market, and the budget completely eliminates funding for the Chemical Safety Board, which investigates the causes of explosions, disasters, and chemical fires.

“This budget also fails to address the Flint water crisis or dozens of other lead in drinking water disasters. Slashing EPA’s overall budget by more than a third means the agency cannot adequately safeguard our health. It is basically a “get out of jail free card” for polluters. In addition, President Trump’s proposed budget drastically underfunds hazardous waste cleanup on Superfund sites. That’s terrifying—Superfund sites are places where the land is so polluted that it poses a serious and immediate risk to public health. We cannot risk the lives of Americans by cutting this funding.

“Congress should reject this budget. America’s health comes in last place in the “America First” budget. This is not the future our families or the planet deserve.”

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U.S. PIRG is a consumer group that stands up to powerful interests whenever they threaten our health and safety, our financial security, or our right to fully participate in our democratic society.